Available Support What We Look For Eligibility Application Process
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Available Support

Through grants and technical assistance offered on a rolling basis, we help communities identify, prepare, and apply for federal funding opportunities.

Grants

We provide direct grants proportional to the size of the potential federal funding amount, up to $100,000, to support a range of costs associated with developing applications, including:

  • Engaging experts for research, analysis, and/or grant writing
  • Organizing or deepening inclusive community partnerships
  • Conducting stakeholder engagement and support community planning
  • Qualifying as private matching funds

Technical Assistance

We offer individualized technical assistance provided by our team of experts to help organizations:

  • Identify funding programs your project is eligible for
  • Understand the program’s application process and requirements
  • Identify and build relationships with federal program contacts
  • Review the grant proposal before submission

What we’re looking for in community-led efforts

We’re looking for organizations working to create equitable local economies through community economic development strategies, workforce programs, and broadband infrastructure projects. Grants and technical assistance will help develop and submit competitive federal applications for community-led projects that:

Connect rural and urban markets to strengthen local economies.

We will support organizations applying to federal funds to advance key sectors, invest in local leaders, build regional networks for collaboration, and creatively engage the private sector.

Stimulate entrepreneurship.

We will support organizations applying to federal funds to promote collaboration among entrepreneurs, capital providers, and researchers. We will also support efforts to incubate and scale innovators and entrepreneurial training programs.

Train workers for new economy careers.

We will support organizations applying to federal funds for innovative workforce development programs that train coal-affected workers and community members for well-paying, 21st century jobs, including programs that offer wrap-around support, engage local businesses, address worker skill mismatch, and create remote work opportunities.

Close the digital divide.

We will support organizations applying to federal funds to expand access to affordable, high speed internet and connect households to this necessary infrastructure.

Tell us you’re interested

We accept interest inquiries on a rolling basis for this rapid response program.

We believe in place-based economic development strategies that build on community assets.

We support work in sectors including but not limited to: reclamation, clean energy, outdoor tourism and recreation, sustainable agriculture, and the knowledge economy/remote work. We also prioritize support for work that is led by and serves the low-income people, women, and Black, Indigenous, and other people of color most impacted by the changing coal economy.

Eligibility Qualifiers

  • Outcomes and Impact

    We’re looking for projects with measurable economic outcomes that have the potential to scale impact through federal investment. Outcomes may include: jobs created, workers and entrepreneurs trained, entrepreneurial projects developed, new partnerships and/or remote work opportunities created, businesses created, and increased job readiness of workers.

    We believe communities must define their own terms for economic success and resilience, and we’ll also collect the metrics that local leaders think are most meaningful and best demonstrate the progress that they want to see.

  • Geographic Focus

    Any community affected by a coal plant and/or mine closure is eligible to apply. We will prioritize communities that are experiencing the greatest economic distress.

  • Eligible Organizations

    Qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations and local governments are eligible to apply. We support organizations that are deeply-rooted in coal-affected areas and have a demonstrated ability to partner with and engage a wide range of transition stakeholders.

    This opportunity is designed for organizations who have some experience applying for federal funding, have developed a project for which they seek federal funding, and plan to submit a federal proposal in the near term (within approximately six to nine months).

  • Grant Amounts and Purpose

    We provide direct grants proportional to the size of the potential federal funding amount, up to $100,000, Funds can be used for a wide variety of activities associated with developing applications, including hiring a grant writer, qualifying as private matching funds, or conducting community engagement and partnership planning.

Application Process and Timeline

Please complete this very brief interest form to set up an introductory call with a JTF team member.

We’ll schedule a 30-minute call within a few weeks. On this call, we’ll determine eligibility to apply for specific JTF services.

If eligible to apply, we’ll send a one page application for a grant, technical assistance, or both.

Applications for Application-Ready grants and technical assistance are accepted on a rolling basis.

We’ll provide feedback within a few weeks of receiving your application.

Federal Access Center

With historic levels of federal funding available across a range of agencies, the opportunity to leverage federal funding to strengthen local economies has never been greater. But this funding is difficult for resource-constrained organizations and localities to access. Moreover, communities are at different strategies of readiness to apply. We launched our Federal Access Center last year as a one-stop resource hub to help ensure that coal communities have the support they need to overcome the barriers they face to apply for federal funding.

Questions?

Contact us by filling out the interest form here!